The federal government is

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "The federal government is"

Transcription

1 The federal government is drowning the American people in debt. In a statement following the release of the new budget proposals, President Obama declared, Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it s time to try something new. Let s invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. It seems clear that the divorce between rhetoric and reality has finally hit an all-time high. The fiscal year 2012 budget shows the 2011 deficit hitting a new record of $1.645 trillion and the national debt rising from $14 to $26.3 trillion by the end of The proposed cuts in spending come by redefining and reclassifying spending items such as Pell grants and transportation spending as mandatory rather than actual reductions in areas of discretionary spending. Unfortunately, IN THIS ISSUE An Abolitionist Approach to Federal Spending...1 President s Letter... 2 The Independent Review... 3 Independent Institute in the News...4 Policy Forum... 5 Institute Launches Forum for New Holy Wars... 5 Government Cost Calculator 2.0 Launched...6 Challenge of Liberty Summer Seminars...6 A Commitment to Excellence... 8 Newsletter of The Independent Institute Volume 21, Number 1 Spring 2011 An Abolitionist Approach to Federal Spending by Emily C. Skarbek Emily C. Skarbek is Research Fellow and Director of the Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation at the Independent Institute and Assistant Professor of Economics at San Jose State University. these accounting classifications do nothing to remedy the spending problems that government faces, but only serve to increase the scope of federal powers by making what used to be budgetary items that could more easily be reduced harder to cut in the future. In just the past two years, the national debt has increased by 43 percent. Since 2001, the gap between median household incomes and government spending has widened tremendously with government spending per household far outpacing what the economy can afford. As the President prepares to heap further fiscal burdens on taxpayers, the discussion should turn on real and substantial cuts to the federal budget. A principled Abolitionist stance aims at wholesale elimination of many programs that the federal government currently funds. Thus, the Independent Institute has outlined a number of ways to save billions of dollars in light of the recent shifts in public opinion toward the reduction of federal spending. Entitlement programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, constitute almost half of the total budget. Fortunately, history demonstrates that the market is adept at providing these goods: mainly healthcare, savings accounts, and charitable donations to those in need. If the government increases the eligibility age for these programs to 70, the annual deficit would fall over time by nearly a trillion dollars. These rule changes could be coupled with structured opt-out programs that allow individuals to choose how to save for their future and care for their health. The war and defense budget constitutes 20 percent of federal spending. Immediate with- (continued on page 7)

2 2 President s Letter Let s Bring Liberty to Life! With many populations rising up to oppose tyranny in Africa and Asia, hopefully such developments will produce real changes toward liberty and self-government and not greater harm for the many people seeking to break free of government burdens to create better lives. In this regard, will the growing rebellion in the U.S. against Big Government produce a second American Revolution and, if so, how can we make sure it s a change for the good? We at the Independent Institute believe that we re at a pivotal moment in history. We see causes for optimism from the increasing demands for spending within our means, a truly humble foreign policy, and less government intrusion into our lives. But, frankly, we re also dealing with a citizenry that has lived in a state of denial for many, many years, and reestablishing a moral and cultural imperative that supports the rights of individuals over collective force and holds politicians to the severe restrictions our Founders intended requires principled ideas, applied practically and attractively communicated. And this is precisely why this year at the Independent Institute s 25th Anniversary, our track record has never been more important. With the economic malaise, government profligacy and debt, unemployment, and ongoing wars all top priorities, the Institute s work is at the cutting edge of public debate. Our Government Cost Calculator (p. 1) is dramatically personalizing the costs of runaway spending for any American, and our books, events, and media programs are all leveraging debate against the abuse of Leviathan statism. The Institute broadens and deepens understanding of the Founders principles the ideals from which we have never strayed. To boldly advance this essential influence now, we urge you to become an Independent Associate Member. With your taxdeductible membership, you can receive a FREE copy of The Pursuit of Justice (p. 5) or The New Holy Wars (p. 5) and other publications, including our quarterly journal, The Independent Review (p. 3), plus other benefits (please see attached envelope). Let s bring liberty to life! David J. Theroux EXECUTIVE STAFF DAVID J. THEROUX, Founder and President MARY L. G. THEROUX, Vice President & Chief Executive Officer MARTIN BUERGER, Vice President & Chief Operating Officer ALEXANDER TABARROK, Ph.D., Research Director BRUCE L. BENSON, Ph.D., Senior Fellow IVAN ELAND, Ph.D., Senior Fellow ROBERT HIGGS, Ph.D., Senior Fellow ROBERT H. NELSON, Ph.D., Senior Fellow CHARLES V. PEÑA, Senior Fellow WILLIAM F. SHUGHART II, Ph.D. Senior Fellow ALVARO VARGAS LLOSA, Senior Fellow RICHARD K. VEDDER, Ph.D., Senior Fellow CARL P. CLOSE, Research Fellow, Academic Affairs Director EMILY SKARBEK, Research Fellow and Center Director GAIL SAARI, Publications Director JULIANNA JELINEK, Development Director ROY M. CARLISLE, Acquisitions Director CHANDLER GALT, Academic Marketing Manager ROLAND DE BEQUE, Production Manager BOARD OF DIRECTORS gilbert i. collins, Private Equity Manager John Hagel iii, Co-Chairman, Center for the Edge, Deloitte & Touche USA LLC sally s. harris, Vice Chairman of the Board, Albert Schweitzer Fellowship PETER A. HOWLEY, Chairman, Howley Management Group PHILIP HUDNER, ESQ., Lawyer, Botto Law Group, LLC Isabella Speakman johnson, President, The Curran Foundation W. Dieter Tede, President, Hopper Creek Winery David J. Theroux, Founder and President, The Independent Institute Mary L. G. Theroux, Former Chairman, Garvey International SALLY von behren, Businesswoman BOARD OF ADVISORS jonathan bean Professor of History, Southern Illinois University herman belz Professor of History, University of Maryland thomas bethell Author, The Noblest Triumph: Property and Prosperity Through the Ages Thomas Borcherding Professor of Economics, Claremont Graduate School Boudewijn Bouckaert Professor of Law, University of Ghent, Belgium James M. Buchanan Nobel Laureate in Economic Science, George Mason University ALLAN C. CARLSON President, Howard Center for Family, Religion, and Society ROBERT D. COOTER Herman F. Selvin Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley Robert W. Crandall Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution RICHARD A. EPSTEIN James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law, University of Chicago A. ERNEST FITZGERALD Author, The High Priests of Waste and The Pentagonists George Gilder Senior Fellow, Discovery Institute Nathan Glazer Professor of Education and Sociology, Harvard University WILLIAM M. H. HAMMETT Former President, Manhattan Institute Ronald Hamowy Emeritus Professor of History, University of Alberta, Canada STEVE H. HANKE Professor of Applied Economics, Johns Hopkins University JAMES J. HECKMAN Nobel Laureate in Economic Science, University of Chicago wendy kaminer Contributing Editor, The Atlantic Monthly LAWRENCE A. KUDLOW Chief Executive Officer, Kudlow & Company JOHN R. MacARTHUR Publisher, Harper s Magazine DEIRdre N. McCloskey Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago J. Huston McCulloch Professor of Economics, Ohio State University Thomas Gale Moore Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution Charles Murray Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute Michael Novak Jewett Chair in Religion and Public Policy, American Enterprise Institute JUNE E. O NEILL Director, Center for the Study of Business and Government, Baruch College P. J. o rourke Author, Peace Kills: Americas Run New Imperianlism and Pariliament of Whores Tom Peters Co-Author, In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America s Best-Run Companies Charles E. Phelps Provost and Professor of Political Science and Economics, University of Rochester Paul Craig Roberts Chairman, Institute of Political Economy Nathan Rosenberg Fairleigh S. Dickinson, Jr. Professor of Economics, Stanford University PAUL H. RUBIN Professor of Economics and Law, Emory University BRUCE M. RUSSETT Dean Acheson Professor of International Relations, Yale University Pascal Salin Professor of Economics, University of Paris, France VERNON L. SMITH Nobel Laureate in Economic Science, George Mason University Joel H. Spring Professor of Education, State University of New York, Old Westbury Richard L. Stroup Professor of Economics, Montana State University Thomas S. Szasz Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, State University of New York, Syracuse Robert D. Tollison Professor of Economics and BB&T Senior Fellow, Clemson University Arnold S. Trebach Professor of Criminal Justice, American University william tucker Author, The Excluded Americans: Homelessness and Housing Policies GORDON TULLOCK University Professor of Law and Economics, George Mason University GORE VIDAL Author, Burr, Lincoln, 1876, The Golden Age, and other books Richard E. Wagner Hobart R. Harris Professor of Economics, George Mason University Paul H. Weaver Author, News and the Culture of Lying and The Suicidal Corporation Walter E. Williams Distinguished Professor of Economics, George Mason University Charles Wolfe, Jr. Senior Economist and Fellow, International Economics, RAND Corporation THE INDEPENDENT (ISSN ): newsletter of the Independent Institute. Copyright 2011, The Independent Institute, 100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA Fax: info@independent.org

3 3 The Independent Review Predatory Politics Nuclear Power The Winter 2011 issue of The Independent Review covers higher education, economic development, Adam Smith, just war theory, Paul Samuelson s economic legacy, the CB radio craze of the 1970s and more. Here are two highlights. Lessons from Political Matchmakers Politics makes strange bedfellows including alliances of idealists and opportunists who lobby for the same regulations, but for vastly different reasons. The classic example is that of bootleggers and Baptists, both of whom supported local laws to stop the sale of alcohol on Sundays, but scholars have examined similar coalitions, including lobbies that promoted NAFTA, tobacco restrictions, and the Clean Air Act. Typically, unholy alliances are formed by an outsider a political entrepreneur who is alert to political opportunities and plays matchmaker to moralists and profiteers, according to Randy Simmons, Ryan Yonk, and Diana Thomas (all of Utah State University). Here are two strategies political entrepreneurs employ, followed by examples. Announce a threat to someone s interests, then collect the payoff. In the 1980s, members of Congress received donations (averaging $1,800) from the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association for supporting a bill to exempt doctors and dentists from FTC regulations. The bill fostered lobbying by those who stood to gain financially and those who favored it on moral grounds. Support noble-sounding goals that can t possibly be achieved. In 1998, Shell Oil, Mobil Oil and other groups that had opposed the Kyoto Protocol began to support it. Why? An amendment to the Clean Air Act would have compensated them for voluntarily reducing their carbon emissions early on. (For example, Mobil stood to gain $300 million.) Bootleggers, Baptists, and Political Entrepreneurs is available for free at org/publications/tir/article.asp?a=816. What Happened to Nuclear Power? Nuclear power in the United States may soon undergo a revival. The White House has pledged to triple federal loan guarantees for the construction of new reactors; and the Department of Energy has said that if big reactors are too costly to build, it would support smaller, cheaper ones designed to serve local communities and businesses. This prospect raises a basic question: Why did nuclear power languish for three decades? The answer may have little to do with standard explanations, such as the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979 and concerns about waste disposal. According to sociologist William Beaver (Robert Morris University), the seeds of the industry s The Independent Review, Winter 2011 demise were planted in the 1950s, when federal policymakers jumpstarted commercial nuclear power with lavish subsidies. By 1960, federal subsidies to the industry totaled about $7 billion in today s dollars. Initially, utility companies were ambivalent about unproven nuclear technology. The Eisenhower administration and others, however, were eager to promote cheap energy and to defeat the Soviets in a race to develop atoms for peace. The second goal was met (U.S. light-water reactors eventually dominated in Europe), but the first goal was a moving target. Ongoing technical advances created costly regulatory challenges. The government scramble bypassed the development of economical nuclear power, which required time to mature and become a routine industrial process. Had the federal role been more limited, General Electric, Westinghouse, and other manufacturers would have developed commercial reactors, but at a much slower pace. The Failure of Nuclear Power is available for free at article.asp?a=814.

4 4 The Independent Institute in the News Center on Global Prosperity The story of the West is that stability only came when a modicum of justice was achieved. The peaceful order was threatened, in these nations, every time a generation perceived that justice was somehow eroded in the name of stability. Senior Fellow Alvaro Vargas Llosa on Egypt for the Washington Post Writers Group Research Fellow Emily C. Skarbek on International Press TV discussing the U.S. spending crisis. The driving principle of my father s life has been that there is no shortcut to accomplishment. Although things are changing in Latin America, development and prosperity for those in my generation were not expected to be the children of effort but of poetic justice. Senior Fellow Alvaro Vargas Llosa on his father, Mario Vargas Llosa s 2010 Nobel Prize for Literature, Washington Post Writers Group Center on Peace and Liberty I think what the government does is take advantage of crises to put in measures that they would like to put in anyway. Even though the incident had to do with cargo, they re putting in these aggressive pat-downs. As a traveler pointed out, if somebody did this to me that didn t work for the government, it would be sexual assault. Senior Fellow Ivan Eland on TSA security changes for CTV News Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently announced that the Department of Defense (DoD) had found at least $100 billion in savings.... These cuts, however, should not be confused with an actual, immediate reduction in current defense spending. The reality is that our nation could spend significantly less and still be secure. Senior Fellow Charles Peña in The Christian Science Monitor Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation The question that will haunt America for the next several months is whether the new 112th Congress has the will to trim back the unsustainable excesses to which Washington has become accustomed or will fall back into old, unhealthy habits. Unfortunately, what has been a relatively benign problem... has now become the equivalent of America s obesity crisis. Research Fellow and Director of the Center on Entrepreneurial Innovation Emily Skarbek in The Miami Herald America treated the Gulf spill almost as a religious catharsis. The message was that we have sinned against nature, and God is justly punishing us. Whatever the facts, such messages can resonate powerfully. America is unusually religious for a modern nation, and some of its religions, such as environmentalism, are secular. Senior Research Fellow Robert Nelson in The Weekly Standard Robert H. Nelson, The Independent Institute Senior Fellow Robert H. Nelson on C-SPAN s Book TV on The New Holy Wars. EPA s action amounts to rewriting the Clean Air Act to suit its own bureaucratic and ideological objectives. At a time when the Obama administration should be focused on job creation and the nation s economic recovery, promulgating stringent new environmental rules should be its last priority. Research Fellow William Shughart in The Washington Examiner Center on Law and Justice Obamacare is but the latest episode of rampant commerce abuse. If the individual insurance mandate passes constitutional muster and enters the realm of precedent, then we can safely assume that no right, liberty, or inactivity is protected from the schemes of Washington s lawgivers. Research Fellow William Watkins, Jr. in The Christian Science Monitor.

5 5 Independent Policy Forum Scholars Shed Light on Broken U.S. Legal System Is the U.S. legal system broken? If so, how should it be fixed? On December 9, 2010, the Independent Institute hosted a forum at its headquarters in Oakland, Calif., to address these questions. The event s keynote speaker, economist and Independent Institute Research Fellow Edward J. Lopez (editor, The Pursuit of Justice) explained how faulty incentives create or worsen a broad range of problems, including false imprisonment, overpriced legal services, politicized judicial decisions, eminent domain abuses, and wealth redistribution that favors the legal profession. By identifying those areas where decisionmakers in the law have bad incentives, we can not only better explain the undesirable outcomes, but we re on better ground to recommend systemic reforms that generate better outcomes from legal services, Lopez said. The second speaker, law professor David Friedman (Santa Clara University), credited Lopez and his contributors for taking the first steps toward a comprehensive account of how self-interest Internet Edward J. López, David Friedman, and Alez Kozinski address the Independent Policy Forum on December 9. distorts the legal system. He then suggested ideas for improvement. Wrongful convictions could be reduced, he argued, by improving access to better legal representation. For example, rather than have indigent felony defendants rely on a public defender, the state could give them vouchers to hire a private attorney. In addition, lawmaking itself would improve, according to Friedman, if people were free to choose which set of laws would govern them (as when litigants select a private arbitrator or when businesses choose a state in which to incorporate). Competition for lawmaking would lead to better laws. The final speaker, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, also lauded Lopez s book for blazing new trails, but he focused on what he called his quibbles. For starters, he said he was much less worried about eminent domain than was Lopez. A worse problem, Kozinski argued, occurs when a government fails to pay property owners any compensation for taking their land (continued on page 7) New Website Launched for The New Holy Wars Building off the momentum and success of Research Fellow Robert Nelson s latest work, The New Holy Wars: Economic Religion vs. Environmental Religion in America, the Independent Institute launched a new website to engage visitors on the deepest religious conflicts in the American public arena today. If it makes a reader of this book more comfortable, he or she may think of it as an examination of the spiritual values of economics versus the spiritual values of environmentalism, writes Robert Nelson in his introduction. For me, though, it is a distinction without a difference. The New Holy Wars probes beneath the rhetorical surface of economic and environmental religion to reveal their clashing fundamental commitments and visions. By interpreting their conflict as theological, Nelson is able to show why these creeds almost invariably talk past each other and why their conflict is likely to continue to dominate public discourse until one party or the other backs down or until an alternative outlook arises to challenge their influence in the public arena. Visit the new Internet home of The New Holy Wars at

6 6 Internet Government Cost Calculator Version 2.0 Launched By now you may already be familiar with our innovative Government Cost Calculator at MyGovCost.org, which is revolutionizing the way people view government spending. The Calculator creates a detailed picture unique for each user exposing the costs of government profligacy program by program and illustrating what each individual s money could generate if it were privately invested instead. As the Internet is increasingly the source for news about the issues of greatest concern today, especially among the younger generations who will bear most of these burdens, the Calculator is a vital medium to affect change. MyGovCost.org has obtained an unprecedented amount of success since its creation in 2010 and received coverage in a variety of newspapers and magazines and on TV/radio. Currently, more than 15,000 people are registered as Facebook fans and through networking and collaborating with other key organizations we have reached out to more than a hundred of the most influential bloggers. Since the site s launch, we Student Programs Summer Seminars Teach Students about Liberty Exciting changes are underway for our 2011 Challenge of Liberty Summer Seminars for Students! This year for the first time, under the leadership of our new Seminar Director Gregory Rehmke, the Summer Seminars will be divided into separate sessions for high-school students (June 20 24), and college students and postgraduates (August 1 5). The session for high-school students will continue as day sessions, held at the Independent Institute Conference Center in Oakland, Calif. The session for college students and post-grads will be held on a college campus in the San Francisco Bay Area and will include optional dormitory housing for a more collegial experience. Those staying on campus will have the opportunity to participate in nightly events in addition to having access to the various amenities offered by the college, such as athletic fields, a swimming pool, and dorm common areas. have continued to refine the Calculator and are proud to announce that Version 2.0 has been released. We now offer a widget that people may place on their websites enabling others to calculate their personalized costs. A smart phone app with the same functionality as the widget is being developed. The newly refined MyGovCost. org will feature educational webinars with economists speaking on topics related to government spending, present educational Policy Forums with Institute fellows and experts discussing relevant issues, and produce a series of high-quality videos on our nation s spending crisis all aimed at generating awareness that will go viral reaching potential millions. MyGovCost.org is perhaps the best example of the Independent Institute s strategic advantage that knowledge is power. Both sessions will offer students excellent opportunities to make lasting friendships while challenging them to think critically about important economic and ethical principles. In addition to Mr. Rehmke (Program Director at EconomicThinking.org and past director of student programs at the Center for the American Idea, Reason Foundation, and the Foundation for Economic Education), confirmed speakers include: Dr. James Ahiakpor (Calif. State Univ., East Bay), Dr. José Yulo (Academy of Arts Univ.), Dr. Matt Holian (San Jose State Univ.) Dr. Emily Skarbek (San Jose State Univ. and the Independent Institute), Mike Winther (Institute for Principle Studies), Anthony Gregory (The Independent Institute), and Carl Close (The Independent Institute). For 16 years the Independent Institute has offered summer seminars designed to educate high (continued on next page)

7 7 Emily C. Skarbek: An Abolitonist Approach to Federal Spending (continued from page 1) drawal and decommissioning of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq would cut spending by over $150 billion. Abolishing the Army Corps of Engineers and closing 750 military bases in 63 countries would reduce military and civilian personnel expenditures by another $145 billion. Ultimately, the focus should remain on ending the war immediately, restoring families, and exploring prospects for peace at home and abroad. Furthermore, eliminating the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, and Commerce, among others, and privatizing Amtrak and air traffic control would render a savings of $434 billion. If we add to that the abolition of the 2010 healthcare package and programs such as the Affordable Housing program, Commission on Fine Arts, Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the State Justice Institute American taxpayers would save an additional $510 billion. If Congress were to approve a straightforward government payroll freeze and federal workforce reduction of 10 percent, Americans would save another $9 billion dollars. In total, these cuts would serve to scale back the federal government s presence in the lives of everyday folks. Friends of liberty and historians of political economy are perhaps pessimistic of the ability to starve the government s appetite. These concerns are justified in light of the failure of even some of the strongest constitutional limits to curb the growth of the State. Nevertheless, proposals and popular discourse of this manner can help to influence the prevailing ideology and turn the tides of public opinion. Ideas matter and principled commitments to the ideas of liberty, freedom, and peace are necessary now more than ever. The Abolitionist approach is required because the propensity of the government is to grow perpetually in size and scope. As Obama s latest proposal demonstrates, any policy adopted through the political bargaining process will necessarily be a watered-down version. The time has come to put it all out on the table and begin cutting. Student Programs: Summer Seminars Teach Students about Liberty (continued from page 6) school and college students to economics and the heritage of liberty. Topics have included: Crusoe Economics, Prices and Coordination, Competition, Property Rights, Freedom and Ethics, From Poverty to Prosperity, Adam Smith, Public Goods, Health Care, Immigration, Education, Monopoly and Antitrust, Environmental Protection, Energy, Transportation, Civil Liberties, War, Charity and Welfare, Federal Spending, Money and Banking, Inflation, and Business Cycles. The seminars rigorous but informal environment allows students to discuss openly while being advised by leading university faculty. With our unique blend of speakers and topics, the 2011 Challenge of Liberty Summer Seminars are a great way to ensure that any student has an intellectually rewarding and fun summer. For enrollment information, please visit www. independent.org/students/seminars/. Independent Policy Forum: Scholars Shed Light on Broken U.S. Legal System (continued from page 5) (i.e., reducing its value or limiting its use) via the enactment of a new regulation, such as a construction moratorium on private wetlands or beachfront property. Kozinski s comments foreshadowed a lively Q&A session devoted to topics as diverse as lawyer licensing, paid informants, capital punishment, jury nullification, constitutional interpretation, and the scope of private-property rights. Video, audio, and transcript of Is U.S. Justice Broken? are available at events/detail.asp?eventid=150.

8 8 An Independent Commitment to Excellence In 1986, the Independent Institute was founded by a group of individuals who were committed to a simple idea: create a non-profit, nonpartisan, scholarly research center dedicated to developing and advocating innovative solutions to public policy problems. Two and a half decades later, we continue to operate above partisan influence and fight for your liberties. Despite the challenges presented, such as nationalized health care, bailouts, trillion-dollar stimulus plans, and an ever-expanding interventionist foreign policy, we have persevered and remained strong in our battle to combat our nation s ills. Without a single penny from the government, we have managed to exceed all expectations, and for a quarter of a century, donors like you have been the backbone of our success. As we celebrate our 25 th Anniversary this year, we at the Independent Institute cannot help but be proud of the accomplishments we have achieved and obstacles we have overcome. At the same time, looking forward at the road before us, there is not an absence of difficulties to defeat. It is certain that even greater threats lie ahead. Now is the time to put forth all efforts, to reverse reckless policies, restore economic and civil liberties, and end government meddling. It takes dedication and heart to fight for what is right, and for the past twenty-five years, donors like you have stood with us and allowed us to reach millions with the essential values of individual liberty and economic freedom. It is imperative that this momentum continue so that our decades of effort manifest themselves. Together, we have brought you 25 years of affecting change, 25 years of fighting for your liberties, 25 years of a passionate dedication to advancing peaceful, prosperous, and free societies. Only with your help can we continue now to provide you with another 25 years of excellence. NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID KENT, OH PERMIT # Swan Way Oakland, California CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Subscribe Free! The Lighthouse Stay abreast of the latest social and economic issues in the weekly newsletter of the Independent Institute. Insightful analysis and commentary New publications Upcoming events / special announcements Current media programs Subscribe today by visiting

Failure. If asked to boil

Failure. If asked to boil Failure. If asked to boil down the government s multitude of programs and initiatives to one word, I would choose failure. Keynesian economists argue: Markets fail, use government. Free-market economists

More information

IN THIS ISSUE. Lessons for Obama. New Books on Race & Liberty, Housing Crisis The Independent Institute is delighted to have

IN THIS ISSUE. Lessons for Obama. New Books on Race & Liberty, Housing Crisis The Independent Institute is delighted to have Lessons for Obama and the U.S. Economy In keeping with today s headlines, U.S. presidential power and the economic malaise were the topics of two recent events held at the Independent Institute s conference

More information

Habeas corpus testifies to

Habeas corpus testifies to Habeas corpus testifies to the moral principle at the center of civilization. The Great Writ, as Americans celebrate it, guarantees our freedom from arbitrary and unlawful imprisonment. Jailing the innocent

More information

Should all Americans be

Should all Americans be Should all Americans be required to have health insurance? The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) said yes. Its constitutionality aside, is a mandate a good idea? The short answer is no.

More information

Now that Barack Obama has begun his sixth year in the Oval Office, we

Now that Barack Obama has begun his sixth year in the Oval Office, we The Evolution of President Obama s Spending Proposals By Craig Eyermann Now that Barack Obama has begun his sixth year in the Oval Office, we thought it might be interesting to see how he s changed his

More information

IN THIS ISSUE: New Books on the Second Amendment and Empire With the U.S. Supreme Court to rule soon on

IN THIS ISSUE: New Books on the Second Amendment and Empire With the U.S. Supreme Court to rule soon on Forums Promote Peace and Prosperity Last quarter at our center in Washington, D.C., the Independent Institute held two events featuring recent Institute books, Making Poor Nations Rich, edited by Benjamin

More information

The current recession

The current recession The current recession and, especially, the related financial panic in the fall of 2008 have given rise to an extraordinary surge in the U.S. government s size, scope, and power. As I write, the financial

More information

IN THIS ISSUE: Conference Presents Lessons from the Poor With thousands of international relief

IN THIS ISSUE: Conference Presents Lessons from the Poor With thousands of international relief Conference Presents Lessons from the Poor With thousands of international relief organizations and billions of dollars spent annually on foreign aid, why are so many impoverished countries unable to grow

More information

End the Surveillance State!

End the Surveillance State! End the Surveillance State! By Anthony Gregory fter 9/11, Bush administration officials Aunveiled plans to create an integrated, comprehensive surveillance state unprecedented in human history. The public

More information

American history is a subject saturated with

American history is a subject saturated with Assessing Bush, Obama and Presidential Power How will future generations rank the presidency of George W. Bush? What must Barack Obama do to become a great president? And what exactly is a great president?

More information

The Great Depression, World War II, and

The Great Depression, World War II, and VOLUME XVI, NUMBER 3 Forums: Civil Rights and Eminent Domain The Independent Policy Forum recently held programs on the timely issues of civil rights and eminent domain. The American civil rights movement

More information

Immediately after 9/11, government officials

Immediately after 9/11, government officials VOLUME XV, NUMBER 4 Immigration and Property Rights The heated national debate over immigration has serious consequences for both Americans and foreigners. Will the shortage of agricultural workers drive

More information

IN THIS ISSUE: New Book on Noninterventionism For more than a century U.S. foreign

IN THIS ISSUE: New Book on Noninterventionism For more than a century U.S. foreign Forums: Big Box Stores, Nuclear Iran In the May 8 Independent Policy Forum debate about the world s largest retailer, Is Wal-Mart Good or Bad for America?, Independent Institute Senior Fellow Richard Vedder

More information

Despite a massive public-relations push

Despite a massive public-relations push How to Replace Obamacare By John C. Goodman Despite a massive public-relations push for Obamacare, a national poll found that only 38 percent of respondents felt favorably about the program two weeks before

More information

Independent. Every four years, politicians hoping to. Lessons from Our First Constitution By William J. Watkins, Jr. Vol. 26 / No.

Independent. Every four years, politicians hoping to. Lessons from Our First Constitution By William J. Watkins, Jr. Vol. 26 / No. Independent NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Vol. 26 / No. 3 / Fall 2016 IN THIS ISSUE Lessons from Our First Constitution President s Letter The Independent Review Independent Institute

More information

The INDEPENDENT. In recent years, the term sustainable development. Public School Monopoly Assailed A. New Book Questions Sustainability

The INDEPENDENT. In recent years, the term sustainable development. Public School Monopoly Assailed A. New Book Questions Sustainability The INDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE Public School Monopoly Assailed A Nation at Risk is the name of an oftencited federal report deploring the sad state of America s public schools.

More information

Independent. Judge Napolitano Gives Verdict on Robert Higgs Books IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 25 / No. 4 / Winter 2016

Independent. Judge Napolitano Gives Verdict on Robert Higgs Books IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 25 / No. 4 / Winter 2016 Vol. 25 / No. 4 / Winter 2016 Independent newsletter of the independent institute 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE Judge Napolitano Gives Verdict on Robert Higgs Books President s Letter: The Independent

More information

Independent. Fixing Our Entitlements Mess: A Win/Win Strategy IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 27 / No. 1 / Spring Fixing Our Entitlements Mess

Independent. Fixing Our Entitlements Mess: A Win/Win Strategy IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 27 / No. 1 / Spring Fixing Our Entitlements Mess Vol. 27 / No. 1 / Spring 2017 Independent newsletter of the independent institute 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE Fixing Our Entitlements Mess President s Letter Pope Francis and Economics: A Symposium Independent

More information

Defusing the U.S. Debt Time Bomb. By William F. Shughart II and Carl P. Close

Defusing the U.S. Debt Time Bomb. By William F. Shughart II and Carl P. Close Vol. 27 / No. 3 / Fall 2017 Independent newsletter of the independent institute 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE Defusing the U.S. Debt Time Bomb President s Letter New Book: China s Great Migration Independent

More information

Must We Repeat Economic Policy Disasters?

Must We Repeat Economic Policy Disasters? Must We Repeat Economic Policy Disasters? By Burton A. Abrams Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it, wrote the philosopher George Santayana. What does the study of economic policy

More information

New Books on the Drug War & Tenure T

New Books on the Drug War & Tenure T Exposing Government Scams T he Independent Institute recently held Independent Policy Forum events on government scams, the USA PATRIOT Act, and medical marijuana. CONFESSIONS OF A MEDIA MAVER- ICK: Exposing

More information

Effective road transportation is crucial to

Effective road transportation is crucial to VOLUME XVI, NUMBER 1 States of Fear: Science or Politics? Scientific debates often deal with issues that are too complex and technical for many people to grasp. When these debates touch on public policy,

More information

By Randy T Simmons and Ryan M. Yonk

By Randy T Simmons and Ryan M. Yonk Vol. 26 / No. 1 / Spring 2016 Independent newsletter of the independent institute 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE Our Failed Environmental Policies: Causes and Cures President s Letter The Independent Review

More information

Two new Independent Institute books

Two new Independent Institute books VOLUME XV, NUMBER 3 Charting the New Path of Liberty for Latin America Latin America s political culture appears chaotic on the surface, but the deeper truth is that it is characterized by stability: The

More information

The INDEPENDENT. In the U.S. today, one of every seven dollars. Should limits on government power be lifted. Book Seeks Market- Based Health Care

The INDEPENDENT. In the U.S. today, one of every seven dollars. Should limits on government power be lifted. Book Seeks Market- Based Health Care The INDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE Walter Williams Addresses Institute Should limits on government power be lifted to promote so-called social justice? Not if we hope to preserve our

More information

Location: This class will take place at George Washington University, District House (2121 H Street NW, Room 117).

Location: This class will take place at George Washington University, District House (2121 H Street NW, Room 117). HERTOG 2017 SUMMER COURSES LANDMARK SUPREME COURT CASES: Scalia and the Last Half-Century of Constitutional Law Adam J. White, fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University The seminar will focus on

More information

Independent. China s Lessons for Economic Growth IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 27 / No. 2 / Summer China s Lessons for Economic Growth. President s Letter

Independent. China s Lessons for Economic Growth IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 27 / No. 2 / Summer China s Lessons for Economic Growth. President s Letter Vol. 27 / No. 2 / Summer 2017 Independent newsletter of the independent institute 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE China s Lessons for Economic Growth President s Letter New Book: Future: Economic Peril or

More information

Independent. Answering the Call to End Poverty IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 28 / No. 2 / Summer Answering the Call to End Poverty. President s Letter

Independent. Answering the Call to End Poverty IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 28 / No. 2 / Summer Answering the Call to End Poverty. President s Letter Vol. 28 / No. 2 / Summer 2018 Independent NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE Answering the Call to End Poverty President s Letter New Book: T.R.M. Howard Independent

More information

Introduction Unintended Consequences of Government Intervention

Introduction Unintended Consequences of Government Intervention Introduction Unintended Consequences of Government Intervention Joshua C. Hall and Jason E. Taylor At the core of the economic way of thinking is the notion that wellintentioned public policies often have

More information

Robert P. Saldin. Fellow. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research Program. Harvard University. Summer 2010 Summer 2012.

Robert P. Saldin. Fellow. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research Program. Harvard University. Summer 2010 Summer 2012. Robert P. Saldin Robert Wood Johnson Scholars (208) 850-5967 Harvard University (617) 496-6070 1730 Cambridge Street, S406 rsaldin@rwj.harvard.edu Cambridge, MA 02138 EDUCATION Ph.D. University of Virginia,

More information

April 13, Dear Chairwoman Landrieu,

April 13, Dear Chairwoman Landrieu, April 13, 2007 The Honorable Mary Landrieu Chair, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch Committee on Appropriations Room S-128, Capitol Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairwoman Landrieu, This letter

More information

A Perspective on the Economy and Monetary Policy

A Perspective on the Economy and Monetary Policy A Perspective on the Economy and Monetary Policy Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Philadelphia, PA January 14, 2015 Charles I. Plosser President and CEO Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia The

More information

2008 PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION VOTERS GUIDE. Candidate Statements

2008 PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION VOTERS GUIDE. Candidate Statements 2008 PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION VOTERS GUIDE Candidate Statements ABOUT THIS GUIDE This Voters Guide is published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund. The League has a long tradition of publishing

More information

Carolyn L. Hsu, Ph D. Associate Professor of Sociology Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology Colgate University

Carolyn L. Hsu, Ph D. Associate Professor of Sociology Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology Colgate University Carolyn L. Hsu, Ph D. Associate Professor of Sociology Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology Colgate University 408 Alumni Hall Colgate University Hamilton, New York 13346 Phone: 315-228-7083

More information

The INDEPENDENT. Voluntary City. Urban reformers often downplay the ability. The. The New Road to Urban Renaissance

The INDEPENDENT. Voluntary City. Urban reformers often downplay the ability. The. The New Road to Urban Renaissance The INDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE Forums on Terrorism, Feminism and Lincoln T he Independent Policy Forum continued to pioneer public-policy debate with thoughtprovoking programs

More information

Independent. Let s Make Colleges Better at Serving Their Students IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 28 / No. 4 / Winter 2018

Independent. Let s Make Colleges Better at Serving Their Students IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 28 / No. 4 / Winter 2018 Vol. 28 / No. 4 / Winter 2018 Independent NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE Let s Make Colleges Better at Serving Their Students President s Letter Love Gov 2 Independent

More information

Using the Index of Economic Freedom

Using the Index of Economic Freedom Using the Index of Economic Freedom A Practical Guide for Citizens and Leaders The Center for International Trade and Economics at The Heritage Foundation Ryan Olson For two decades, the Index of Economic

More information

Promises. President Obama s First Two Years in Office

Promises. President Obama s First Two Years in Office Promises Kept President Obama s First Two Years in Office Let s be the generation that makes future generations proud of what we did here. President Barack Obama The challenges that President Obama and

More information

VOTING SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT PROJECT

VOTING SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT PROJECT ISSUE 9 JUNE 2017 VOTING SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT PROJECT Quarterly Newsletter IN THIS ISSUE Message from Dean VSAP RFI RFI Vendor Day MESSAGE from Dean Public Engagement Recognition In the News Stay Connected

More information

Was the Great Society Successful?

Was the Great Society Successful? Name: Was the Great Society Successful? ACTIVATOR: Read the speech below and answer the following questions. Great Society Speech, Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964 (Modified) I have come today from the turmoil

More information

Why Is America Exceptional?

Why Is America Exceptional? Why Is America Exceptional? 3 Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. Why Is America Exceptional? In 1776, when America announced its independence as a nation, it was composed of thirteen colonies surrounded by hostile

More information

Remarks by President Trump to the World Economic Forum Davos, Switzerland

Remarks by President Trump to the World Economic Forum Davos, Switzerland https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-world-economic-forum-davosswitzerland/ Remarks by President Trump to the World Economic Forum Davos, Switzerland Issued on: January

More information

President Obama s Political Project

President Obama s Political Project Date: February 13, 0 To: From: Friends of Democracy Corps and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Stanley B. Greenberg, James Carville and Andrew Baumann President Obama s Political Project National survey points

More information

Ernest Boyer s Scholarship of Engagement in Retrospect

Ernest Boyer s Scholarship of Engagement in Retrospect Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Volume 20, Number 1, p. 29, (2016) Copyright 2016 by the University of Georgia. All rights reserved. ISSN 1534-6104, eissn 2164-8212 Ernest Boyer s

More information

Nine principles that should guide the Green New Deal

Nine principles that should guide the Green New Deal The Washington Post Made by History Perspective Nine principles that should guide the Green New Deal Lessons drawn from the successes and failures of the first New Deal. By Richard Walker On the heels

More information

RESULTS domestic groups organized at least 132 outreach meetings or events and through these added new activists to their groups.

RESULTS domestic groups organized at least 132 outreach meetings or events and through these added new activists to their groups. Summary of 2006 Successes RESULTS Domestic Successes 2006 ANNUAL SUCCESSES In 2006, RESULTS domestic activists met face-to-face with 48 representatives and 13 senators to discuss solutions to hunger and

More information

The Big Decisions Ahead on Economic Renewal and Reduced Debt

The Big Decisions Ahead on Economic Renewal and Reduced Debt Date: August 12, 2010 To: From: Friends of Democracy Corps and Campaign for America s Future Stan Greenberg, James Carville, Peyton M. Craighill The Big Decisions Ahead on Economic Renewal and Reduced

More information

COMMENTARY. By Ilya Shapiro. This article appeared on National Review (Online) on December 23, 2015.

COMMENTARY. By Ilya Shapiro. This article appeared on National Review (Online) on December 23, 2015. President Obama s Top Ten Constitutional Violations of 2015 Cato Institute http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/president-obamas-top-ten... 1 of 5 1/24/2016 3:18 AM COMMENTARY By Ilya Shapiro This

More information

Status of Health Reform Bills Moving Through Congress

Status of Health Reform Bills Moving Through Congress POLICY PRIMER ON HEALTH REFORM What is the Status of the Health Reform Bills? On November 7, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, putting major health

More information

MITT ROMNEY DELIVERS REMARKS TO NALEO: GROWING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS

MITT ROMNEY DELIVERS REMARKS TO NALEO: GROWING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Romney Press Office June 21, 2012 857-288-3610 MITT ROMNEY DELIVERS REMARKS TO NALEO: GROWING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS Boston, MA Mitt Romney today delivered remarks

More information

The Threat Continues. Medicaid, the Budget, and Deficit Reduction: The Bottom Line: Our Message on Medicaid and the Super Committee Process

The Threat Continues. Medicaid, the Budget, and Deficit Reduction: The Bottom Line: Our Message on Medicaid and the Super Committee Process Medicaid, the Budget, and Deficit Reduction: The Threat Continues From Families USA August 2011 We averted default on the national debt when, in exchange for an increase in the debt ceiling, Congress passed,

More information

Obama s Economic Agenda S T E V E C O H E N C O L U M B I A U N I V E R S I T Y F A L L

Obama s Economic Agenda S T E V E C O H E N C O L U M B I A U N I V E R S I T Y F A L L Obama s Economic Agenda S T E V E C O H E N C O L U M B I A U N I V E R S I T Y F A L L 2 0 1 0 Today We Will Discuss: 1. How do items get on the President s Agenda? 2. What agenda items did President

More information

A Summary of the U.S. House of Representatives Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution

A Summary of the U.S. House of Representatives Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution A Summary of the U.S. House of Representatives Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution Prepared by The New England Council 98 North Washington Street, Suite 201 331 Constitution Avenue, NE Boston, MA 02114

More information

C O R P O R A T E P R O G R A M

C O R P O R A T E P R O G R A M CORPORATE PROGRAM THE INTER-AMERICAN DIALOGUE ENGAGES ITS NETWORK OF GLOBAL LEADERS TO FOSTER DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL EQUITY IN THE AMERICAS. Mission Engagement SHAPING POLICY DEBATE

More information

working paper Spending UNder President George W. BUSh No March 2009 (corrected) by Veronique de Rugy

working paper Spending UNder President George W. BUSh No March 2009 (corrected) by Veronique de Rugy No. 09-04 March 2009 (corrected) working paper Spending UNder President George W. BUSh by Veronique de Rugy The opinions expressed in this Working Paper are the authors and do not represent official positions

More information

MEDIA ADVISORY. Association (SCPOA). [SEE ATTACHED COPIES OF COMPLAINTS]

MEDIA ADVISORY. Association (SCPOA). [SEE ATTACHED COPIES OF COMPLAINTS] MEDIA ADVISORY Complaints Filed Against Santa Clara City Officials, Council Candidate, Local Organization and Police Union for Campaign Finance Reporting Violations WHO: WHAT: John L. Mlnarik Santa Clara

More information

CURRICULUM VITAE FOR AMANDA DIPAOLO!! Human Rights Program Phone: (506) ! St. Thomas University Fax: (506) !

CURRICULUM VITAE FOR AMANDA DIPAOLO!! Human Rights Program Phone: (506) ! St. Thomas University Fax: (506) ! CURRICULUM VITAE FOR AMANDA DIPAOLO Human Rights Program Phone: (506) 460-0366 St. Thomas University Fax: (506) 460-0330 Holy Cross House Email: dipaolo@stu.ca Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5G3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More information

Power, Order, and Change in World Politics

Power, Order, and Change in World Politics Power, Order, and Change in World Politics Are there recurring historical dynamics and patterns that can help us understand today s power transitions and struggles over international order? What can we

More information

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE!

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE! SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE! The Independent Review does not accept pronouncements of government officials nor the conventional wisdom at face value. JOHN R. MACARTHUR, Publisher,

More information

Contribution to Society

Contribution to Society AMERICA S Religious Congregations: Measuring Their Contribution to Society The Research Program at INDEPENDENT SECTOR promotes the understanding of charitable organizations by developing research that

More information

Survey of US Voters Issues and Attitudes June 2014

Survey of US Voters Issues and Attitudes June 2014 Survey of US Voters Issues and Attitudes June 2014 Methodology Three surveys of U.S. voters conducted in late 2013 Two online surveys of voters, respondents reached using recruit-only online panel of adults

More information

The INDEPENDENT CUTTING GREEN. When a federal judge recently imposed harsh. Is global warming a genuine threat to human

The INDEPENDENT CUTTING GREEN. When a federal judge recently imposed harsh. Is global warming a genuine threat to human The INDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE Record Crowds Attend Policy Forums Is global warming a genuine threat to human life and well-being? The proposed Kyoto Protocol calls for extensive

More information

Congressional Budget Action for Fiscal Year 2012 and its Impact on Education Funding Jason Delisle, Federal Education Budget Project

Congressional Budget Action for Fiscal Year 2012 and its Impact on Education Funding Jason Delisle, Federal Education Budget Project New America Foundation Issue Brief Congressional Budget Action for Fiscal Year 2012 and its Impact on Education Funding Jason Delisle, Federal Education Budget Project September 13, 2011 The fiscal year

More information

KEY ISSUES FACING THE BAHAMAS ECONOMY IN THE 21 ST CENTURY REMARKS GIVEN BY MR. JULIAN W. FRANCIS, GOVERNOR THE CENTRAL BANK OF THE BAHAMAS

KEY ISSUES FACING THE BAHAMAS ECONOMY IN THE 21 ST CENTURY REMARKS GIVEN BY MR. JULIAN W. FRANCIS, GOVERNOR THE CENTRAL BANK OF THE BAHAMAS KEY ISSUES FACING THE BAHAMAS ECONOMY IN THE 21 ST CENTURY REMARKS GIVEN BY MR. JULIAN W. FRANCIS, GOVERNOR THE CENTRAL BANK OF THE BAHAMAS BAHAMAS BUSINESS OUTLOOK 2000 NASSAU MARRIOTT RESORT BALLROOM

More information

Ending Poverty is important because, as Nelson Mandela said: Ending Poverty is vital because the world economy is at a crossroads.

Ending Poverty is important because, as Nelson Mandela said: Ending Poverty is vital because the world economy is at a crossroads. Ending Poverty is important because, as Nelson Mandela said: "Poverty is not an accident...it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings." Ending Poverty is vital because the world economy

More information

U.S. Presidential Candidate Spending Analysis Ron Paul. Total Net Spending Agenda: -$1.221 trillion (savings)

U.S. Presidential Candidate Spending Analysis Ron Paul. Total Net Spending Agenda: -$1.221 trillion (savings) U.S. Presidential Candidate Spending Analysis Ron Paul Total Net Spending Agenda: -$1.221 trillion (savings) Economy, Transportation, and Infrastructure: -$4.565 billion (savings) A. Establish Sound Money

More information

How The New Congress Can Thoughtfully Repeal ObamaCare s Expansion

How The New Congress Can Thoughtfully Repeal ObamaCare s Expansion How The New Congress Can Thoughtfully Repeal ObamaCare s Expansion By Jonathan Ingram, Josh Archambault, and Nic Horton January 5, 2015 Tomorrow, a new Congress convenes, with the largest Republican majorities

More information

The Death Penalty: To Be or Not to Be? To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge not justice. -Desmond Tutu

The Death Penalty: To Be or Not to Be? To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge not justice. -Desmond Tutu James 1 Jimmy James Mrs. Ness 14 December 2010 Final Research paper The Death Penalty: To Be or Not to Be? To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge not justice -Desmond Tutu Capital punishment

More information

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE!

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE! SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE! The Independent Review does not accept pronouncements of government officials nor the conventional wisdom at face value. JOHN R. MACARTHUR, Publisher,

More information

Democracy: The Never-Ending Battle A Conversation with Lech Walesa

Democracy: The Never-Ending Battle A Conversation with Lech Walesa Democracy: The Never-Ending Battle A Conversation with Lech Walesa Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. Worldviews for the 21st Century: A Monograph Series John C. Bersia, Editor-in-Chief Johanna Marizan, Business

More information

Region II By-Laws Revised February 28, 2011

Region II By-Laws Revised February 28, 2011 Region II By-Laws Revised February 28, 2011 Constitutional Authority The National Society of Black Engineers Region II By-Laws describes the manner in which the Region shall be governed and structured.

More information

Breakthrough Economic Message Results of major web survey on the economy. July 18, 2011

Breakthrough Economic Message Results of major web survey on the economy. July 18, 2011 Breakthrough Economic Message Results of major web survey on the economy July 18, 2011 2 The experiment This presentation is based on a national web survey of 2,000 likely 2012 voters (2,000 weighted)

More information

Assistant Professor of Economics, Utah State University. Editorial Board, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy

Assistant Professor of Economics, Utah State University. Editorial Board, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy Diana W. Thomas Director of the Institute for Economic Inquiry Associate Professor of Economics Creighton University Department of Economics and Finance Heider College of Business Creighton University

More information

EL FINAL DE LA CONVERTIBILIDAD DEL DOLAR

EL FINAL DE LA CONVERTIBILIDAD DEL DOLAR EL FINAL DE LA CONVERTIBILIDAD DEL DOLAR DISCURSO DEL PRESIDENTE NIXON (1971-08-15) FUENTE: DISCRUSOS. LA HISTORIA A TRAVÉS DE LOS DISCURSOS DE SUS LÍDERES HTTP://WWW.BEERSANDPOLITICS.COM/DISCURSOS/ Good

More information

Zoe M. Argento. Focus Areas. Overview

Zoe M. Argento. Focus Areas. Overview Associate 1900 Sixteenth Street Suite 800 Denver, CO 80202 main: (303) 629-6200 direct: (303) 362-2876 fax: (303) 629-0200 zargento@littler.com Focus Areas Workplace Privacy and Data Security Unfair Competition

More information

PUBLIC CONTROL OF BUSINESS REVISITED

PUBLIC CONTROL OF BUSINESS REVISITED PUBLIC CONTROL OF BUSINESS REVISITED David Boies Before Paul Verkuil was Dean of the Cardozo School of Law, Dean of Tulane University Law School, Dean of the University of Miami School of Law, President

More information

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE!

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE! SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE! The Independent Review does not accept pronouncements of government officials nor the conventional wisdom at face value. JOHN R. MACARTHUR, Publisher,

More information

A Barometer of the Economic Recovery in Our State

A Barometer of the Economic Recovery in Our State THE WELL-BEING OF NORTH CAROLINA S WORKERS IN 2012: A Barometer of the Economic Recovery in Our State By ALEXANDRA FORTER SIROTA Director, BUDGET & TAX CENTER. a project of the NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER

More information

Yearly Report 2011 Wien, December 2011

Yearly Report 2011 Wien, December 2011 Yearly Report 2011 Wien, December 2011 AEC 2011 2011 has been a prosperous and exciting year for us at the Austrian Economics Center (AEC). As a non-profit institution dedicated to educating the public

More information

Heidi Garrett-Peltier 418 North Pleasant Street Amherst, MA (413)

Heidi Garrett-Peltier 418 North Pleasant Street Amherst, MA (413) Heidi Garrett-Peltier 418 North Pleasant Street Amherst, MA 01002 (413) 577-0818 hpeltier@econs.umass.edu Education PhD, Economics, September 2010 Dissertation Title: The Employment Impacts of Economy-wide

More information

Gordon Tullock and the Demand-Revealing Process

Gordon Tullock and the Demand-Revealing Process Gordon Tullock and the Demand-Revealing Process Nicolaus Tideman In 1970 Edward Clarke, then a graduate student at the University of Chicago, submitted a manuscript titled, Introduction to Theory for Optimal

More information

The INDEPENDENT. At the July 5th Independent Policy Forum, Most people assume that a government must. Forums on Schools, Drugs & P.C.

The INDEPENDENT. At the July 5th Independent Policy Forum, Most people assume that a government must. Forums on Schools, Drugs & P.C. The INDEPENDENT NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE Forums on Schools, Drugs & P.C. Myths VOLUME XI, NUMBER 3 Recently in The Independent Review At the July 5th Independent Policy Forum, Why Are the

More information

2018 STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS KEY MESSAGES

2018 STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS KEY MESSAGES 2018 STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) to a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament on Friday, 16 February 2017. The president

More information

Public Opinion Strategies/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research October 2010

Public Opinion Strategies/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research October 2010 Project #101309 2 This survey was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies in conjunction with Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research for National Public Radio and is the 31st survey in the NPR series. These

More information

Curriculum Vita. Mark A. Smith

Curriculum Vita. Mark A. Smith Curriculum Vita Mark A. Smith Office Address University of Washington Department of Political Science Box 353530 Seattle, WA 98195 (206) 685-2146 (fax) email: masmith@u.washington.edu website: http://faculty.washington.edu/masmith/

More information

President Ronald Reagan: Trickle Down Economics and Cold War Defense Spending

President Ronald Reagan: Trickle Down Economics and Cold War Defense Spending President Ronald Reagan: Trickle Down Economics and Cold War Defense Spending E. America Enters World War II (1945-Present) g. Analyze the origins of the Cold War, foreign policy developments, and major

More information

Independent. Democratic Socialism: A Contradictory Threat to Liberty and Prosperity IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 29 / No. 1 / Spring Democratic Socialism

Independent. Democratic Socialism: A Contradictory Threat to Liberty and Prosperity IN THIS ISSUE. Vol. 29 / No. 1 / Spring Democratic Socialism Vol. 29 / No. 1 / Spring 2019 Independent NEWSLETTER OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN THIS ISSUE Democratic Socialism President s Letter New Book: War and the Rogue Presidency Independent

More information

Guide to State-level Advocacy for NAADAC Affiliates

Guide to State-level Advocacy for NAADAC Affiliates Guide to State-level Advocacy for NAADAC Affiliates A Publication of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals Department of Government Relations 1001 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 201 Alexandria,

More information

Christopher S. Warshaw

Christopher S. Warshaw Christopher S. Warshaw Department of Political Science 2115 G Street, N.W. Monroe Hall 440 Washington, D.C. 20052 Office: 202-994-6290 Fax: 202-994-1974 Email: warshaw@gwu.edu Homepage: www.chriswarshaw.com

More information

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service intention to fund the following project

More information

Blues Public Policy Brief *Customer Edition* February 24, 2012

Blues Public Policy Brief *Customer Edition* February 24, 2012 Blues Public Policy Brief *Customer Edition* February 24, 2012 FEDERAL NEWS Congress Passes Payroll Tax Bill with SGR Fix Last week, both the House and the Senate approved a conference report for H.R.

More information

March 2019 RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar Make Housing Assistance a Priority in Congress

March 2019 RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar Make Housing Assistance a Priority in Congress March 2019 Make Housing Assistance a Priority in Congress Login at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801. RESULTS is a movement of passionate,

More information

National Urban League s THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 2004

National Urban League s THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 2004 Executive Summary National Urban League s THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 2004 The National Urban League s 2004 edition of The State of America: The Complexity of Progress will explore and examine the progress

More information

Types of Interest Groups

Types of Interest Groups Types of Interest Groups The Humane Society works to reduce suffering and improve the lives of all animals by advocating for better laws; investigating animal cruelty; conducting campaigns to reform industries;

More information

Post-mortem survey: the historic 2010 election

Post-mortem survey: the historic 2010 election November 2-3, 2010 Post-mortem survey: the historic 2010 election Campaign for America s Future Democracy Corps Methodology and Overview The results of the following survey are displayed throughout this

More information

WHY DOES GOVERNMENT GROW? THE SOURCES OF GOVERNMENT GROWTH FROM PUBLIC CHOICE PERSPECTIVE

WHY DOES GOVERNMENT GROW? THE SOURCES OF GOVERNMENT GROWTH FROM PUBLIC CHOICE PERSPECTIVE WHY DOES GOVERNMENT GROW? THE SOURCES OF GOVERNMENT GROWTH FROM PUBLIC CHOICE PERSPECTIVE Coskun Can Aktan, PhD Faculty of Economics and Management Dokuz Eylul University Dokuzcesmeler, Buca Izmir, Turkey

More information

Biggest Stories of 2008: Economy Tops Campaign INTERNET OVERTAKES NEWSPAPERS AS NEWS OUTLET

Biggest Stories of 2008: Economy Tops Campaign INTERNET OVERTAKES NEWSPAPERS AS NEWS OUTLET NEWS Release. 1615 L Street, N.W., Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20036 Tel (202) 419-4350 Fax (202) 419-4399 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Andrew Kohut, Director

More information

Public Schools: Make Them Private by Milton Friedman (1995)

Public Schools: Make Them Private by Milton Friedman (1995) Public Schools: Make Them Private by Milton Friedman (1995) Space for Notes Milton Friedman, a senior research fellow at the Hoover Institution, won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1976. Executive Summary

More information

To Congress The cost is too high for Obamacare! The Patient Care will decrease If my policy is set into place this will happen.

To Congress The cost is too high for Obamacare! The Patient Care will decrease If my policy is set into place this will happen. HealthCare Objective: As president we want to increase the number of insured but decrease the cost of insurance by repealing Obama s healthcare reform bill. We want to accomplish our goal by putting Americans

More information

American political campaigns

American political campaigns American political campaigns William L. Benoit OHIO UNIVERSITY, USA ABSTRACT: This essay provides a perspective on political campaigns in the United States. First, the historical background is discussed.

More information